Myth: Suicidal
people want to die.
Fact: Even the most severely depressed person is ambivalent
about death. They often fluctuate between wanting to live and
wanting to die until the very last moment. Most suicidal people do
not want death: They want the pain to stop.
Myth: If you talk
about suicide to a someone who has thought of it you may trigger them to
act on their thoughts.
Fact: Talking about suicide does not make one more suicidal.
Helping someone to acknowledge their problems is a first step in solving
them. Your expression of concern might help them to feel better about
themselves.
Myth: The
stress of being a college student makes suicide more likely.
Fact: Studies show that suicide is less likely for students
than non-students of the same age and sex.
Myth: Being at
prestigious schools makes suicide less likely.
Fact: Student suicide rates are not related to institutional
prestige, size or to one's class standing.
Myth: Suicide
often happens without any warning.
Fact: Almost everyone who commits or attempts suicide has
given some clue or warning. Do not ignore suicide threats. Statements like
"you'll be sorry when I'm dead," "I can't see any way out," -- no matter
how casually or jokingly said may indicate serious suicidal feelings.
Myth: Once
someone starts feeling better the risk of suicide goes away.
Fact: Suicide risk is often greatest when someone just starts
to feel a little better. The person suffering from depression may
not have had enough energy to act on thoughts of suicide, but despite the
return of a little motivation and energy, they may still feel emotionally
distressed and suicidal, thus increasing the risk for self-harm.
Myth: Suicide
is just a way to get attention.
Fact: Suicide is about emotional pain and the inability
to see an alternative way to stop the pain. While a suicidal
individual often feels lonely and longs for someone to understand, getting
that kind of attention is not the goal of suicide. It is about
stopping the pain. Wouldn't it be nice if the pain stopped because
someone did start paying attention rather than through death.
Myth: Suicidal
students are mentally ill.
Fact: Not necessarily, although the likelihood of a suicide
by a student with major depression is significantly higher than for their
non-depressed student peers.
Myth: People
who talk about suicide don't kill themselves.
Fact: Eight out of 10 persons who commit suicide have
spoken about their intent before killing themselves.
Myth: A drunk
person who talks about suicide should not be taken seriously.
Fact: One recent study of campuses showed over half the students
committing suicide were intoxicated, most often by alcohol, and a slightly
larger number were thought to have a significant substance use problem.
Anyone who talks about suicide should be taken seriously!
Myth:
Oppressive weather is very closely related to suicidal behavior.
Fact: A 2003 study that reviewed 27 other studies found no
consistent relationship between weather and suicide rates.
Myth: Suicide
rates increase around the winter holidays.
Fact: In fact, suicide rates are at their absolute
lowest in December. They actually peak in the summer months, June
and July. Here's an example of the data from the National Vital
Statistics System of the CDC:
Myth: There are more suicides in the winter months.
Fact: December has the lowest suicide rates of all months and
January and February are average. The summer is when suicide rates
peak.
Myth: Most
suicides occur on Weekends when drinking is involved.
Fact: In one study of 212, 15-24 year old suicide attempters,
3/4 were on weekdays and only 1/4 on the weekend. Notably, however,
when alcohol was involved (in about 30% of the cases), suicide attempts
were significantly more likely to occur on the weekend.
Myth: The U.S.
suicide rate is among the lowest in the world.
Fact: Actually, we're closer to the middle. Some
countries, like Russia, have much higher rates while others, like Greece,
are significantly lower. Here's an example from the World Health
Organization:
Myth: The
suicide rate is highest in the east and especially in the states with big
cities, like New York.
Fact: The suicide rate is lowest in the Middle Atlantic and
New England states. It is highest in Mountain states like New
Mexico, Montana, Nevada, Wyoming and Colorado (those are the top 5 in
2001).
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